Young Democrats Speak Out Against Expulsion of Senior Officials by Democratic Labour Party

The youth arm of the Democratic Labour Party has come out against the recent expulsion of two senior party officials, charging that the arrival of Political Leader Ralph Thorne has further deepened rifts within the 68-year-old opposition party.

Tyra Trotman, chairperson of the Young Democrats, told Barbados TODAY that the expulsion of president Dr Ronnie Yearwood and general secretary Steve Blackett on Thursday night was “unfair” and “draconian”.

“I don’t think it’s fair. I think it is a draconian measure, and the way in which it was done is what really bothers me,” Trotman said. She likened the situation to a family dispute, stating, “When the head of a household kicks someone out of that household, you know for sure hardly ever there is a coming back from that. It is like the final shot, the death penalty.”

The expulsions come amid ongoing internal conflicts within the DLP, which have been exacerbated by the recent arrival of Christ Church MP Ralph Thorne, who crossed the floor from the ruling Barbados Labour Party.

Trotman noted, “There was a divide in the Democratic Labour Party prior to Mr Ralph Thorne’s arrival. His arrival merely made it worse.”

According to Trotman, a faction within the DLP has long been dissatisfied with Dr Yearwood’s leadership style. She also raised concerns about the legitimacy of the expulsion process, questioning the composition and impartiality of the disciplinary committee.

“There was a disciplinary committee that was established prior to Mr Thorne’s arrival, which has been disbanded, it seems. The persons who are now members of that disciplinary committee were not members before, so I don’t even know what the process was for appointing them,” she said.

Trotman argued that both the initial suspension and subsequent expulsion of Dr Yearwood and Blackett were unconstitutional. She praised the contributions of both men to the party, particularly during a challenging period.

“If anything, those two gentlemen should really be applauded for what they have done for the Democratic Labour Party in a period where the future of the Democratic Labour Party was very gloomy,” Trotman said. She credited Dr Yearwood’s leadership for initiatives such as the “people’s house”, zonal meetings, and the start of a candidate selection process.

The Young Democrats chair recalled her own decision to join the DLP: “It is because of [them] that most of you even know me within the political scene.”

“So it is most unfair to see that we’ve reached a point now that these two gentlemen have been expelled,” she said underscoring the potential long-term impact on the party’s unity and future prospects. (RG)